10 Most Bizarre WWE WrestleMania Matches Ever

WWE superstars work diligently year round, working live events and clocking in countless miles on the road in the hope that their hard work will be recognised and that they will be given a spot on the WrestleMania card.

Then an old boy from a bygone era shows up, takes the spot and the cash that goes with it. Oh well.

Those wrestlers lucky enough to get on the show itself all hope that they’re given the time and the tools to have a good showing. Everyone who is working the biggest show of the year wants to give their best and look good, though sometimes things don’t always work out that way.

In an effort to be a variety show that will appeal to casual as well as hardcore fans, WWE have a habit of booking and laying out matches that are just plain bizarre.

Gimmicks, stunts and celebrity involvement have been a staple of the Showcase of the Immortals since its inception and it’s funny to look back over the years and the truly weird and wacky presentations that the biggest wrestling company in the world have their fingerprints on.

And since it’s funny, let's take a look back at some of the most bizarre matches in WrestleMania history...

10. Goldust Vs. Roddy Piper – WrestleMania XII

The Hollywood Backlot Brawl between The Bizarre One and Hot Rod wasn’t really much of a match since there was no referee and, as such, no official winner, but it was quite the spectacle, notable for the realism of the backlot portion and the total off-the-wall weirdness of the in-ring action.

Goldust wasn’t originally supposed to take on Piper at ‘Mania but was instead scheduled to face Razor Ramon, in what was going to be billed as a ‘Miami Street Fight’ instead. However, not long before ‘Mania, The Bad Guy informed WWE management of his intention to go to WCW after the show and was subsequently pulled by the company (and that's a story in it's own right).

WWE scrambled for a replacement and the match with Roddy, then WWF’s on-screen President, was booked. The storyline reason for the match was that Goldust had developed feelings for Piper and wanted to be a special guest in his ‘Pit’, infuriating the ultra-masculine hardman who, coincidentally, wore a skirt to the ring.

Pulling into the backlot in a gold Cadillac, Goldust was met with a hosing down from Piper and the brawl was on! Initially one-sided with Roddy pounding away with his feet, fists and a baseball bat, Goldust managed to turn the tide after hitting the Rowdy one square in his Golden Globes.

After trying to run Piper over, Goldust made his getaway and was followed by Piper in his white Ford Bronco, as the two men cut a high-speed chase on the LA Freeway en route to the Arrowhead Pond.

This is where things started to get really weird, as WWE decided to use news footage from the infamous OJ Simpsons bronco chase, playing it off as if it was Piper while pretending they didn’t know why the footage, that had been replayed on news channels ad nauseum, looked so familiar.

A cheap gag, this came months after the OJ verdict and almost two years after the chase took place, proving once again that WWE were on the ball when it came to pop culture relevance.

Eventually, both men made their way to the arena and into the ring, where the Intercontinental Champion gained the upper hand, fondling and kissing Piper before Roddy turned the tables with a testicular claw, spanking and kissing before ripping off Goldust’s body suit to reveal a pair of skimpy women’s underwear, forcing him and manager Marlena to beat a hasty retreat to the back.

If you are confused and feel like you’ve wandered into some subpar WWE fan fiction on a seedy corner of the internet, please note that what I have just described actually happened.

At WrestleMania XII.

Right before Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart had a one-hour Iron Man match for the WWE Title.

10. Goldust Vs. Roddy Piper – WrestleMania XII

The Hollywood Backlot Brawl between The Bizarre One and Hot Rod wasn’t really much of a match since there was no referee and, as such, no official winner, but it was quite the spectacle, notable for the realism of the backlot portion and the total off-the-wall weirdness of the in-ring action.

Goldust wasn’t originally supposed to take on Piper at ‘Mania but was instead scheduled to face Razor Ramon, in what was going to be billed as a ‘Miami Street Fight’ instead. However, not long before ‘Mania, The Bad Guy informed WWE management of his intention to go to WCW after the show and was subsequently pulled by the company (and that's a story in it's own right).

WWE scrambled for a replacement and the match with Roddy, then WWF’s on-screen President, was booked. The storyline reason for the match was that Goldust had developed feelings for Piper and wanted to be a special guest in his ‘Pit’, infuriating the ultra-masculine hardman who, coincidentally, wore a skirt to the ring.

Pulling into the backlot in a gold Cadillac, Goldust was met with a hosing down from Piper and the brawl was on! Initially one-sided with Roddy pounding away with his feet, fists and a baseball bat, Goldust managed to turn the tide after hitting the Rowdy one square in his Golden Globes.

After trying to run Piper over, Goldust made his getaway and was followed by Piper in his white Ford Bronco, as the two men cut a high-speed chase on the LA Freeway en route to the Arrowhead Pond.

This is where things started to get really weird, as WWE decided to use news footage from the infamous OJ Simpsons bronco chase, playing it off as if it was Piper while pretending they didn’t know why the footage, that had been replayed on news channels ad nauseum, looked so familiar.

A cheap gag, this came months after the OJ verdict and almost two years after the chase took place, proving once again that WWE were on the ball when it came to pop culture relevance.

Eventually, both men made their way to the arena and into the ring, where the Intercontinental Champion gained the upper hand, fondling and kissing Piper before Roddy turned the tables with a testicular claw, spanking and kissing before ripping off Goldust’s body suit to reveal a pair of skimpy women’s underwear, forcing him and manager Marlena to beat a hasty retreat to the back.

If you are confused and feel like you’ve wandered into some subpar WWE fan fiction on a seedy corner of the internet, please note that what I have just described actually happened.

At WrestleMania XII.

Right before Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart had a one-hour Iron Man match for the WWE Title.

9. Butterbean Vs. Bart Gunn – WrestleMania XV

The Brawl for All – a shoot style tough-man tournament between mostly WWE midcarders – is universally recognised as a terribly stupid idea.

Ostensibly created to give underused guys some TV time during the ultra-competitive Attitude Era, it led to a slew of injuries, some of which could have been career ending.

The career of Steve ‘Dr. Death’ Williams, one of the favourites to win the whole thing and pegged as a future opponent for the red-hot Stone Cold Steve Austin, was effectively ended when he was knocked clean out by Bart Gunn in the second round, shattering his tough-man aura and tearing his hamstring in the process.

WWE officials couldn’t believe that Williams had been so easily dispatched by Gunn, who was not seen as a top prospect but went on to win the tournament, dishing out further KOs to Charles ‘The Godfather’ Wright and bully boy Bradshaw, pocketing $75,000 for his efforts.

Bombastic Bart was not rewarded for his punching power with a renewed push and more television time, however. He would actually leave the company to tour with All-Japan Pro Wrestling and work various independent shows, before WWE recalled him for a special role at WrestleMania XV.

That role was as the challenger of Butterbean in a boxing match. For those unfamiliar with Butterbean, Eric Esch was a successful heavyweight boxer that was known for finishing opponents early and had developed a strong cult following.

He may have won his share of bar fights and been able to overcome his untrained co-workers, but Bart was not a trained fighter, regardless of how tough he was. The little bit of boxing training that he did undertake didn’t prevent the inevitable: A Butterbean KO victory in around thirty seconds.

Was this punishment for knocking out Jim Ross’s golden boy, Steve Williams, and scuppering a potential Austin/Williams match? Or did WWE really think that Bart had a chance against a man who retired with 77 professional boxing wins to his name?

Whatever the thought process, the fight itself was weird and felt out of place on a wrestling show during a time when business was booming and WWE practically sold itself.

9. Butterbean Vs. Bart Gunn – WrestleMania XV

The Brawl for All – a shoot style tough-man tournament between mostly WWE midcarders – is universally recognised as a terribly stupid idea.

Ostensibly created to give underused guys some TV time during the ultra-competitive Attitude Era, it led to a slew of injuries, some of which could have been career ending.

The career of Steve ‘Dr. Death’ Williams, one of the favourites to win the whole thing and pegged as a future opponent for the red-hot Stone Cold Steve Austin, was effectively ended when he was knocked clean out by Bart Gunn in the second round, shattering his tough-man aura and tearing his hamstring in the process.

WWE officials couldn’t believe that Williams had been so easily dispatched by Gunn, who was not seen as a top prospect but went on to win the tournament, dishing out further KOs to Charles ‘The Godfather’ Wright and bully boy Bradshaw, pocketing $75,000 for his efforts.

Bombastic Bart was not rewarded for his punching power with a renewed push and more television time, however. He would actually leave the company to tour with All-Japan Pro Wrestling and work various independent shows, before WWE recalled him for a special role at WrestleMania XV.

That role was as the challenger of Butterbean in a boxing match. For those unfamiliar with Butterbean, Eric Esch was a successful heavyweight boxer that was known for finishing opponents early and had developed a strong cult following.

He may have won his share of bar fights and been able to overcome his untrained co-workers, but Bart was not a trained fighter, regardless of how tough he was. The little bit of boxing training that he did undertake didn’t prevent the inevitable: A Butterbean KO victory in around thirty seconds.

Was this punishment for knocking out Jim Ross’s golden boy, Steve Williams, and scuppering a potential Austin/Williams match? Or did WWE really think that Bart had a chance against a man who retired with 77 professional boxing wins to his name?

Whatever the thought process, the fight itself was weird and felt out of place on a wrestling show during a time when business was booming and WWE practically sold itself.

8. Rick Martel Vs. Jake Roberts – WrestleMania VII

WWE.com

The babyface being blinded by the heel angle is an old-school favourite that I hope makes a comeback one day, as when done right it’s a great way to create heat for a heel and put a tonne of sympathy on a babyface.

That was the thinking when setting up a programme between Jake Roberts and Rick Martel, the Snake blinded by the Model’s Arrogance – the cologne, not the personality trait. Roberts disappeared from television for months to sell the injury and build anticipation for the big match at WrestleMania.

Rather than a hate-fuelled brawl where Jake tried to rip out Martel’s eye in revenge, the two instead had a Blindfold Match, though what they wore was actually a hood. A hood that they could see everything through, as the camera and lighting clearly showed.

The match mostly consisted of the two men walking around and trying to find the other, with Jake using the crowd’s reaction to gauge how close he was to Martel who would run away when Jake got closer and, incredibly, didn’t once try to cheat by removing the hood!

What’s next, heels not holding the ropes? Heels not interfering in matches? Heels not setting other men on fire?!?

Credit to the pair of them though, as they worked the gimmick about as well as could be asked, considering the limitations. It was engaging for the live crowd, who got to play a part in proceedings, but maybe not a lot of fun for the television viewer, who must have felt like they had accidentally ordered a Christmas panto rather than a major wrestling show.

The match has since divided opinion but whether you love it, hate it or are bored senseless by it, it is certainly a unique match and a stipulation that WWE have only ran with a handful of times.

And fair play to Jake Roberts and Rick Martel who likely pocketed a healthy payday for doing almost no running, jumping or bumping.

7. John Cena Vs. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 34

WrestleMania is a place for spectacle and it is a place for dream matches, boxes that are both ticked by John Cena versus The Undertaker, a contest that was for years rumoured about as taking place at the Show of Shows.

With every year that it didn’t happen, it seemed less and less likely that we would see a clash between the two icons. When we eventually did get to witness it at WrestleMania 34, it wasn’t even advertised and had come a good four or five years after it could have been something truly special.

In order to coax The Deadman into a match at ‘Mania, Cena spent weeks calling him out, basically insulting him and calling him a giant zombie chicken, but received no response.

Giving up the chase on the final Raw before the show, Cena declared that he was not going to take the spot of another deserving wrestler on the card and would instead attend WrestleMania as a fan.

Oh if only other part-timers were as gracious as Big Match John…

True to his word, Cena made his way out to the crowd during the pre-show, drinking a beer and taking selfies with bemused onlookers before a WWE referee came out a couple of matches into the main show and informed him that Undertaker had arrived.

Springing backstage to put on his wrestling jorts and sweatbands, the Doctor of Thuganomics made his proper entrance to the show for match number six, the long-awaited showdown with The Phenom…

Only for Elias to come out instead. Presumably as gutted as the audience was with the let-down, Cena quickly dispatched of the drifter following a brief confrontation, and headed backstage once again, like a sad but very muscular Charlie Brown.

Before he could get there though, the lights went out and ‘Taker’s hat and coat – which had been left in the ring at the culmination of The Undertaker’s WrestleMania 33 main event match with Roman Reigns – appeared and were struck by lightning.

The Undertaker then finally made his entrance and proceeded to squash Cena in a matter of minutes, the former 16-time World Champion getting in one solitary move before falling victim to a Chokeslam and Tombstone Piledriver.

What a strange deal this thing was, from build up to execution. Granted, Cena is a special attraction these days and is not the face of the company anymore, but it was still odd to see him getting pasted like that, even if it was by a figure as imposing and legendary as The Undertaker.

A WrestleMania moment, yes, but not the showstealing epic that the WWE Universe had been wanting to see for the best part of a decade.

7. John Cena Vs. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 34

WrestleMania is a place for spectacle and it is a place for dream matches, boxes that are both ticked by John Cena versus The Undertaker, a contest that was for years rumoured about as taking place at the Show of Shows.

With every year that it didn’t happen, it seemed less and less likely that we would see a clash between the two icons. When we eventually did get to witness it at WrestleMania 34, it wasn’t even advertised and had come a good four or five years after it could have been something truly special.

In order to coax The Deadman into a match at ‘Mania, Cena spent weeks calling him out, basically insulting him and calling him a giant zombie chicken, but received no response.

Giving up the chase on the final Raw before the show, Cena declared that he was not going to take the spot of another deserving wrestler on the card and would instead attend WrestleMania as a fan.

Oh if only other part-timers were as gracious as Big Match John…

True to his word, Cena made his way out to the crowd during the pre-show, drinking a beer and taking selfies with bemused onlookers before a WWE referee came out a couple of matches into the main show and informed him that Undertaker had arrived.

Springing backstage to put on his wrestling jorts and sweatbands, the Doctor of Thuganomics made his proper entrance to the show for match number six, the long-awaited showdown with The Phenom…

Only for Elias to come out instead. Presumably as gutted as the audience was with the let-down, Cena quickly dispatched of the drifter following a brief confrontation, and headed backstage once again, like a sad but very muscular Charlie Brown.

Before he could get there though, the lights went out and ‘Taker’s hat and coat – which had been left in the ring at the culmination of The Undertaker’s WrestleMania 33 main event match with Roman Reigns – appeared and were struck by lightning.

The Undertaker then finally made his entrance and proceeded to squash Cena in a matter of minutes, the former 16-time World Champion getting in one solitary move before falling victim to a Chokeslam and Tombstone Piledriver.

What a strange deal this thing was, from build up to execution. Granted, Cena is a special attraction these days and is not the face of the company anymore, but it was still odd to see him getting pasted like that, even if it was by a figure as imposing and legendary as The Undertaker.

A WrestleMania moment, yes, but not the showstealing epic that the WWE Universe had been wanting to see for the best part of a decade.

6. Randy Orton Vs. Bray Wyatt – WrestleMania 33

What would a list of bizarre matches be without an appearance from our old pal Bray Wyatt? One of the oddest WWE characters ever, Wyatt is the type of performer that you expect theatrics from given the nature of the gimmick and the fact that WWE just love all that spooky stuff.

Not too long ago, but before he was the nightmare-inducing Fiend, Wyatt was riding high as the leader of the mysterious Wyatt Family, which at the beginning of 2017 had Randy Orton as a member.

After Orton won the Royal Rumble and Bray captured the WWE Title in the Elimination Chamber, The Viper refused to challenge for the belt out of respect to his new leader.

Of course, this is Randy Orton and the whole thing was just an over-elaborate mind game. Orton did want to challenge for the title and told The Eater of Worlds as much while setting the Wyatt Family compound on fire in a wonderfully cheesy segment that WWE are experts in producing.

Things got stranger still in the match itself. Considering their feud had such strong supernatural elements to it, fans should have probably expected some shenanigans when they finally clashed on the big stage.

What fans couldn’t have predicted was that WWE would use the ring canvas as a screen to project images of maggots, worms and cockroaches onto.

Put this down on the list of ideas that were better in theory than in execution, because the gimmick fell flat and had fans in New Orleans laughing rather than reacting in horror or disgust. Plus, what were we supposed to believe, that Bray was capable of orchestrating this stunt with the power of his mind? Or was Luke Harper pressing buttons with Kevin Dunn in the production truck?

The tactic failed, too, Orton winning the match and the title with an RKO out of nowhere. Credit to WWE for trying something different and attempting to add flavour to the match so that it felt special, but it didn’t come off quite as they would have hoped here.

6. Randy Orton Vs. Bray Wyatt – WrestleMania 33

What would a list of bizarre matches be without an appearance from our old pal Bray Wyatt? One of the oddest WWE characters ever, Wyatt is the type of performer that you expect theatrics from given the nature of the gimmick and the fact that WWE just love all that spooky stuff.

Not too long ago, but before he was the nightmare-inducing Fiend, Wyatt was riding high as the leader of the mysterious Wyatt Family, which at the beginning of 2017 had Randy Orton as a member.

After Orton won the Royal Rumble and Bray captured the WWE Title in the Elimination Chamber, The Viper refused to challenge for the belt out of respect to his new leader.

Of course, this is Randy Orton and the whole thing was just an over-elaborate mind game. Orton did want to challenge for the title and told The Eater of Worlds as much while setting the Wyatt Family compound on fire in a wonderfully cheesy segment that WWE are experts in producing.

Things got stranger still in the match itself. Considering their feud had such strong supernatural elements to it, fans should have probably expected some shenanigans when they finally clashed on the big stage.

What fans couldn’t have predicted was that WWE would use the ring canvas as a screen to project images of maggots, worms and cockroaches onto.

Put this down on the list of ideas that were better in theory than in execution, because the gimmick fell flat and had fans in New Orleans laughing rather than reacting in horror or disgust. Plus, what were we supposed to believe, that Bray was capable of orchestrating this stunt with the power of his mind? Or was Luke Harper pressing buttons with Kevin Dunn in the production truck?

The tactic failed, too, Orton winning the match and the title with an RKO out of nowhere. Credit to WWE for trying something different and attempting to add flavour to the match so that it felt special, but it didn’t come off quite as they would have hoped here.

5. Vince McMahon Vs. Bret Hart – WrestleMania XXVI

If you look up ‘Beating a Dead Horse’ in the dictionary, you will find a picture and description of WWE and the Montreal Screwjob next to it.

Long after most fans and even the participants involved put the events of the 1997 Survivor Series behind them, WWE persisted in bringing it up in DVDs, on television as part of storylines and as a match finish.

When Bret Hart returned to WWE for the first time in almost thirteen years in early 2010, the company clearly had one thing and one thing only in mind: booking a grudge match between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon.

At one point in time, a Vince versus Bret match would have been a major draw and could have actually been a good match, in a Vince McMahon putting his life on the line for our entertainment way. But that time was the late 90s, not over a decade later.

By the time the match was due to go down, Bret was long retired and physically limited due to injuries, in particular the lingering effects of a stroke he had suffered in 2002. An insurance settlement also precluded him from taking bumps. Vince McMahon, meanwhile, was 64-years-old and moved with the grace of a cement truck.

Despite this, the match went ahead.

What unfolded was a lot of fun for Bret and not a lot of fun for Vince or the audience. Hart and the rest of the Hart family – whom Vince had unsuccessfully attempted to recruit in order to screw Bret over once more – beat the absolute dog piss out of the WWE Chairman.

There was no sign of the old Excellence of Execution here, as Bret’s crisp holds and transitions were swapped for a crowbar, a steel chair and lots of shots to McMahon’s grapefruits. After about ten minutes of so-called action, things were getting uncomfortable before Bret put us all out of our misery with a Sharpshooter.

Bret is one of the best ever – as is Vince, for that matter – and Hart deserved one last big match and to go out on his terms, but this was bizarre, bordering on a snuff film with a live audience.

Neither man’s finest hour, I’m sure it was cathartic for those involved but it made spectators uneasy and the beating went on for so long it almost made loathsome Vince the babyface.

5. Vince McMahon Vs. Bret Hart – WrestleMania XXVI

If you look up ‘Beating a Dead Horse’ in the dictionary, you will find a picture and description of WWE and the Montreal Screwjob next to it.

Long after most fans and even the participants involved put the events of the 1997 Survivor Series behind them, WWE persisted in bringing it up in DVDs, on television as part of storylines and as a match finish.

When Bret Hart returned to WWE for the first time in almost thirteen years in early 2010, the company clearly had one thing and one thing only in mind: booking a grudge match between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon.

At one point in time, a Vince versus Bret match would have been a major draw and could have actually been a good match, in a Vince McMahon putting his life on the line for our entertainment way. But that time was the late 90s, not over a decade later.

By the time the match was due to go down, Bret was long retired and physically limited due to injuries, in particular the lingering effects of a stroke he had suffered in 2002. An insurance settlement also precluded him from taking bumps. Vince McMahon, meanwhile, was 64-years-old and moved with the grace of a cement truck.

Despite this, the match went ahead.

What unfolded was a lot of fun for Bret and not a lot of fun for Vince or the audience. Hart and the rest of the Hart family – whom Vince had unsuccessfully attempted to recruit in order to screw Bret over once more – beat the absolute dog piss out of the WWE Chairman.

There was no sign of the old Excellence of Execution here, as Bret’s crisp holds and transitions were swapped for a crowbar, a steel chair and lots of shots to McMahon’s grapefruits. After about ten minutes of so-called action, things were getting uncomfortable before Bret put us all out of our misery with a Sharpshooter.

Bret is one of the best ever – as is Vince, for that matter – and Hart deserved one last big match and to go out on his terms, but this was bizarre, bordering on a snuff film with a live audience.

Neither man’s finest hour, I’m sure it was cathartic for those involved but it made spectators uneasy and the beating went on for so long it almost made loathsome Vince the babyface.

4. Roddy Piper Vs. Mr. T – WrestleMania 2

WWE.com

Another appearance by the late, great Roddy Piper here and we haven’t even mentioned the time he painted himself half-black for a match with Bad News Brown at WrestleMania VI. Oh wait.

A major part of WrestleMania in the 80s and early 90s, the Hot Rod headlined the first one ever and would have classic matches with Adrian Adonis and Bret Hart in subsequent years, as well as a memorable Piper’s Pit with Morton Downey Jr. and Brother Love.

At WrestleMania II, Piper would square off with A-Team star Mr. T, who had tagged with Hogan against Piper and Paul Orndorff at the inaugural event.  The match came about as a result of Piper’s very real dislike for the actor.

To Piper, Mr. T was disrespectful towards the business, seeing it as a joke and something he could do for a laugh in between shooting episodes of his television show. In his eyes, the celebrity wasn’t in it to make anybody but himself look good and that made the proud Piper’s blood boil.

You could feel the genuine tension during that tag match, which must have played into WWE’s decision to book the boxing bout the following year. That both men had some amateur boxing experience likely convinced the company that a worked fight between the two could look credible.

It didn’t exactly turn out that way, as the contest was clunky, clearly choreographed and, worst of all, deathly boring. After a lot of weak punching and hugging and Piper taking cheap shots whenever possible, the match ended with a Sports Entertainment Finish, Roddy getting disqualified after hitting a bodyslam and drawing boos from the New York crowd.

Panned at the time, the years haven’t been kind to this one. It also loses much of its impact since Mr. T hasn’t been relevant in a good long while, and anyone not around for the halcyon days of the A-Team or Rocky III will wonder what all the fuss is about.

3. Brock Lesnar Vs. Goldberg – WrestleMania XX

Brock Lesnar versus Goldberg at WrestleMania XX was supposed to be one of the biggest and best matches on the show. A colossal meeting of two bulls, it pitted The Next Big Thing against WCW’s former top star, big burly blokes ready to knock seven shades out of each other.

It had all the ingredients, as well as a good, long build that included confrontations at Survivor Series, Royal Rumble and No Way Out, where Goldberg helped to cost Lesnar his WWE Title in his match with Eddie Guerrero.

Throw in the World’s Most Famous arena as a backdrop and special referee Stone Cold Steve Austin as garnish and, really, there was no reason for this not to be a blockbuster for the ages.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, the crowd in Madison Square Garden were all-too-aware that both Goldberg and Lesnar were on their way out of the company.

Da Man had refused to sign an extension to his one-year contract because he was unhappy with his run, which went very differently to his time in WCW.

Meanwhile, Brock decided that pro wrestling wasn’t really for him and wanted to try out for the NFL, turning down a multi-year multi-million dollar deal to go and do a sport he hadn’t played since high school, because he’s Brock Lesnar and he really, really doesn’t care.

With that information in mind, nobody in the arena cared to invest in a match between two supposed traitors and proceeded to amuse themselves by completely turning on it. Chants of ‘boring’, ‘this match sucks’ and ‘you sold out’ rang out, putting those in the ring completely off their game. As a result, the match was terrible.

It wouldn’t have mattered if the match had been great anyway, because the crowd had already made up their mind. The only enjoyment fans derived from the performance was when Austin hit a pair of obligatory Stone Cold Stunners to send Brock and Bill packing for eight and twelve years respectively.

Happily for both men, they were able to redeem themselves at WrestleMania 33 with an explosive match befitting their reputation and stature.

3. Brock Lesnar Vs. Goldberg – WrestleMania XX

Brock Lesnar versus Goldberg at WrestleMania XX was supposed to be one of the biggest and best matches on the show. A colossal meeting of two bulls, it pitted The Next Big Thing against WCW’s former top star, big burly blokes ready to knock seven shades out of each other.

It had all the ingredients, as well as a good, long build that included confrontations at Survivor Series, Royal Rumble and No Way Out, where Goldberg helped to cost Lesnar his WWE Title in his match with Eddie Guerrero.

Throw in the World’s Most Famous arena as a backdrop and special referee Stone Cold Steve Austin as garnish and, really, there was no reason for this not to be a blockbuster for the ages.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, the crowd in Madison Square Garden were all-too-aware that both Goldberg and Lesnar were on their way out of the company.

Da Man had refused to sign an extension to his one-year contract because he was unhappy with his run, which went very differently to his time in WCW.

Meanwhile, Brock decided that pro wrestling wasn’t really for him and wanted to try out for the NFL, turning down a multi-year multi-million dollar deal to go and do a sport he hadn’t played since high school, because he’s Brock Lesnar and he really, really doesn’t care.

With that information in mind, nobody in the arena cared to invest in a match between two supposed traitors and proceeded to amuse themselves by completely turning on it. Chants of ‘boring’, ‘this match sucks’ and ‘you sold out’ rang out, putting those in the ring completely off their game. As a result, the match was terrible.

It wouldn’t have mattered if the match had been great anyway, because the crowd had already made up their mind. The only enjoyment fans derived from the performance was when Austin hit a pair of obligatory Stone Cold Stunners to send Brock and Bill packing for eight and twelve years respectively.

Happily for both men, they were able to redeem themselves at WrestleMania 33 with an explosive match befitting their reputation and stature.

2. Akebono Vs. Big Show - WrestleMania 21

Being seven feet tall and weighing close to five hundred pounds, it’s no surprised that Big Show has been used as an attraction at WWE’s biggest show, tasked with working with world famous outsiders like Floyd Mayweather and Shaquille O’Neal.

Those encounters garnered much global mainstream publicity for WWE and, in the case of the match with ‘Money’ Mayweather at WrestleMania XXIV, helped the show draw big on pay-per-view. His match with sumo-cum-professional wrestler Akebono at ‘Mania 21, however, drew mainly raised eyebrows from insiders and fans.

The first non-Japanese born (he was born in Hawaii) sumo to achieve the grand rank of Yokozuna, Akebono was a major deal in the Land of the Rising Sun. The vast majority of the American audience, however, had never heard of him, making WWE’s decision to book him in a Sumo Match at WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles a strange one to say the least.

Had the match taken place at a Japanese house show or on a minor pay-per-view, it would have been just fine. But WWE dedicated precious airtime to building this match and then presented it on the year’s biggest show instead of, say, a match with a talented and hardworking roster member like Booker T, William Regal, Tajiri or Hardcore Holly, all of whom were relegated to the non-televised pre-show battle royal.

The match was finished in little over a minute but that was still too long to watch The World’s Largest Athlete wearing a thong while trying to push another man out of a circle.

Akebono went over, too, another odd call since he didn’t work for WWE again save for a couple of dates on a Japanese tour later in the year, although this was probably the right call in terms of preserving some sense of believability.

A waste of Big Show, the sumo match was something different on a show that’s supposed to have something for everyone. I’m just not too sure anyone wanted this.

2. Akebono Vs. Big Show - WrestleMania 21

Being seven feet tall and weighing close to five hundred pounds, it’s no surprised that Big Show has been used as an attraction at WWE’s biggest show, tasked with working with world famous outsiders like Floyd Mayweather and Shaquille O’Neal.

Those encounters garnered much global mainstream publicity for WWE and, in the case of the match with ‘Money’ Mayweather at WrestleMania XXIV, helped the show draw big on pay-per-view. His match with sumo-cum-professional wrestler Akebono at ‘Mania 21, however, drew mainly raised eyebrows from insiders and fans.

The first non-Japanese born (he was born in Hawaii) sumo to achieve the grand rank of Yokozuna, Akebono was a major deal in the Land of the Rising Sun. The vast majority of the American audience, however, had never heard of him, making WWE’s decision to book him in a Sumo Match at WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles a strange one to say the least.

Had the match taken place at a Japanese house show or on a minor pay-per-view, it would have been just fine. But WWE dedicated precious airtime to building this match and then presented it on the year’s biggest show instead of, say, a match with a talented and hardworking roster member like Booker T, William Regal, Tajiri or Hardcore Holly, all of whom were relegated to the non-televised pre-show battle royal.

The match was finished in little over a minute but that was still too long to watch The World’s Largest Athlete wearing a thong while trying to push another man out of a circle.

Akebono went over, too, another odd call since he didn’t work for WWE again save for a couple of dates on a Japanese tour later in the year, although this was probably the right call in terms of preserving some sense of believability.

A waste of Big Show, the sumo match was something different on a show that’s supposed to have something for everyone. I’m just not too sure anyone wanted this.

1. Jerry Lawler Vs. Michael Cole – WrestleMania XXVII

WWE.com

Until WrestleMania XXVII, Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler had never had a WrestleMania match, much less the much sought-after WrestleMania Moment. He’d called his fair share of epics, sure, but the fact that he had never stepped foot in the ring at WWE’s biggest show was bizarre in and of itself.

Over the years Lawler could have ably had a good match with any number of opponents from any number of eras. He was still actively wrestling on the independent circuit while working as a commentator and WWE called on him to don the singlet from time to time in short programmes.

What a shame then that King’s one WrestleMania match and moment came against fellow announcer Michael Cole.

No offense to Cole, who has since said that the whole situation was a bit of a nightmare for him as he lost a tooth and had Vince McMahon personally tell him it was the worst thing he had ever seen in all of his years as a promoter, but Lawler definitely deserved better.

Cole, who was rather incredibly a major focus of WWE storylines in 2011, was pathetic on offense and at times looked completely lost, even while in there with Lawler and special referee Steve Austin and with his mate Jack Swagger stationed at ringside.

Considering the build to the match included Cole taking a shot at Lawler’s late mother (who had died eight days before being brought up in a tasteless promo) and bringing out his own son (the late Brian ‘Grandmaster Sexay’ Christopher) to berate him, Jerry should have cleaned the floor with him in a couple of minutes.

Punches, a flying fistdrop and a piledriver, 1-2-3. Job done, feud over. Then have Cole and Swagger take a Stunner each for a big pop before we all have a couple of Steveweisers and go home. Easy.

Instead, we were subject to almost twelve agonisingly long minutes of so-called action and a Dusty Finish involving the Anonymous Raw General Manager reversing Jerry’s victory.

A blah feud and a depressing match between a semi-retired wrestler and an out-of-shape pundit, replete with a cheap and pointless finish, this one had it all. Which is to say it had nothing but a strong air of the bizarre about it.